Planning a Family Holiday to Lanzarote: A Guide

The Canary Islands are a very popular holiday destination for several types of traveller, but especially families who flock there year after year. The island of Lanzarote, in particular, has something to offer everyone, from toddlers and teenagers to parents and grandparents. It’s just a 4-hour flight from the UK and a very family-friendly island well used to hosting tourists. Whether you’re after an action-packed adventure or some relaxing quality time as a family, this guide outlines some planning tips to help you organise a fantastic family holiday to Lanzarote. We’re starting with the very important issue of where to stay on the island…

Where to Stay in Lanzarote
While there are lots of hotels on the island, a great choice of accommodation for family Lanzarote holidays is to rent a villa. While in a hotel you are restricted to just a room with a bathroom, in a villa you have a living and kitchen area, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms and sometimes a private pool. It really is a home away from home, which gives the adults their own space to relax in once the kids are in bed. Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise and Playa del Carmen are all great resorts for families, as they have excellent access to beaches with calm water, as well as plenty of restaurants and shops.

Timanfaya National Park
The Timanfaya National Park is a fascinating place to visit for everyone. You can explore the amazing landscape volcanoes, the interactive visitor centre and even enjoy camel rides.

Jardine de Cactus
The Jardine de Cactus is home to more than 4500 specimens of cactus, many of which are weird and wonderful in shape, making for some fantastic family photo opportunities.

Bisofera Shopping Centre
The Bisofera Shopping Centre in Puerto del Carmen has lots of activities to keep the kids amused when the adults need a bit of downtime. There’s an open-air rooftop cinema, dinosaur mini-golf, a ball pit, and plenty of other activities for kids of all ages.

Castillo de Santa Barbara
The Castillo de Santa Barbara is a historic castle that features the Museo de la Pirateria, also known as the Pirate Museum. The castle was originally built to provide refuge for the people of Teguise from attacks from pirates, which were very regular as pirates came to the island to find slaves.

Aquapark
The Aquapark in Costa Teguise is the biggest in Lanzarote, featuring 9 swimming pools, slides and plenty of different pools for different ages. The park also runs paintball and a cinema during the summer, which is great for older children.

Cueva de Los Verdes and Los James del Agua
The island has some incredible lava tubes, which have been formed naturally and are very impressive to see. It’s not easy to navigate with very young children, but they can be carried. The Los James del Agua includes the House of Volcanoes, which was created by Cesar Manrique from black lava rock with bright white and greens. You can also spot minuscule blind albino crabs who live in the caves.